Google announced that it will be removing its “goo.gl” link shortener on August 25, 2025. Since its launch in 2010, this service has been useful for sharing long links in a more compact manner, especially on platforms such as WhatsApp. However, it has also been exploited by cybercriminals to hide malicious URLs. Starting in August 2025, all “goo.gl” links will stop working, which could result in broken links and loss of access to many contents. Although the service was closed to new user american people whatsapp number existing links were still operational. With the final closure, website administrators and users are advised to migrate to other shortening services and update affected links to avoid accessibility issues and potential negative impacts on SEO. The transition to alternatives such as Bitly or TinyURL is essential to maintain the functionality of links on the web.
Who does it affect?
Any developer using links created with the Google URL shortener in the formatnd these URLs will no longer return a response after August 25, 2025. We recommend transitioning these links to another URL shortener provider.
Please note that goo.gl links generated through Google apps (such as Maps sharing) will continue to work.
What will Google's steps be to permanently eliminate the service?
Starting August 23, 2024, a percentage of existing goo.gl links will begin displaying an interstitial page notifying users that the link will no longer be supported after August 25, 2025, and then directing them to the original destination page.
Over time, the percentage of links that will display the interstitial page will increase until the shutdown date. This page should help you track and adjust the affected links that need to transition as part of this change. This interstitial page will continue to be displayed until the shutdown date, after which all delivered links will return a 404 response.
Please note that the interstitial page may cause disruptions in the current flow of your goo.gl links. For example, if you use other 302 redirects, the interstitial page may prevent the redirect flow from completing correctly. If you have embedded social metadata on your landing page, the interstitial page will likely cause it to no longer appear where the initial link is displayed. For this reason, we recommend transitioning these links as soon as possible.
Note: In case the interstitial page breaks your use cases, you can suppress it by adding the “if=1” query parameter to existing goo.gl links.
Impact of the end of “goo.gl” short links on SEO
It is crucial for website owners to review their old content and links, as many could become inactive and lose SEO value. Additionally, using 301 redirects can help preserve traffic and authority of the affected pages.
